Local jockeys in team to take on Australia
NEWTOWNMOUNTKENNEDY jockey Adam Short flew out to Australia on Sunday to join up with his Irish colleagues for the 2018 Australia versus Ireland Jockey Challenge.
Also donning the green Irish jersey will be Shane Jackson of Baltinglass who currently lives down under.
This is the 32nd consecutive year that an Irish team has been invited to Australia to participate in the jockey challenge. There have already been 42 contests staged in the two countries, with Ireland taking the honours on 26 occasions, Australia winning 15 times and one draw.
Adam secured the prize of a trip to Australia for the annual jockeys’ challenge when winning the Adare Manor Opportunity Series for the 2016/2017 Irish National Hunt season. He rounded off the term with success in the final of the race of the series on the Matthew Smith-trained Prince Garyantle at the Punchestown festival, his first success at the biggest festival of the year.
President Michael D. Higgins sent his well wishes to the team prior to their departure.
‘I send my best wishes to Adam Short, Donal McInerney, Shane Jackson and Martin Kelly as they prepare to compete in the Australia v Ireland Challenge Series in Adelaide,’ said President Higgins.
‘ The Series symbolises the long and enduring friendship between Ireland and Australia, one that rests not only the long history of Irish migration to Australia, but upon our shared love of sport, from rugby to horse racing’.
The series is based on a points system depending on the finishing positions and was won by Team Ireland last year by a score of 55 points to 35.
Adam began his career as a jockey aged 17 with Phillip Rothwell and soon moved to Northern Ireland to link up with Stuart Crawford who provided him with his first career winner on his first ride for the stable. He is associated with several racing yards and rode a Galway festival winner for former champion trainer Noel Meade this year.
He rode his first winner on the Stuart Crawford-trained Comragh at Ayr in November 2015. He rode his 20th winner and had his claim reduced to 5lbs when landing the €100,000 Chanelle Pharma Handicap Chase on Liz Doyle’s Last Goodbye at the inaugural Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in February 2018.
The second Wicklow man on Team Ireland, Shane Jackson of Baltinglass, is the son of Colin and Geraldine Jackson. Shane was Champion Conditional Jockey in Ireland in the 2007/08 season. He started riding in Australia in 2012, mostly for Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde. Having ridden 46 winners, his feature victories have included the Lafferty Hurdle and Australian Steeplechase aboard Wilde’s successful jumper Gold Medals and also won this year’s Grand National Hurdle aboard Cougar Express.
(Photo: Patrick McCann).